Velocipede trailer



Oct. 13, 1931. RADER I 1,827,401

VELOC IPEDE TRAILER Filed Nov. 21, 1930 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 13, 1931 UNITED. STATES PATENT om-"Ice j ROBERT J. RADEB, 03' NEW ROCHELLE,NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO 3'. O. PENNEY COI- PANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWAREvnnocrrmm TRAILER Application filed November 21, 1980. Serial No.497,181.

This invention relates to a velocipede trailer attachment and hasarticular reference to an arrangement where y a toy wagon may beconverted into a trailer for a veloci ede.

5 Trailers for various kinds of vehicles we been provided heretofore,and among them are various forms of trailers for velocipedes, but theseformer types of trailers have been subject to many objections, principalamong which is the fact that they were expensive additions to thevelocipede and could not be used for any other purpose, and they werenot readily attached to the velocipede nor permitted desirable freedomof movement and mobility because they were rigidly attached to thevelocipede and did not turn readily.

The present invention utilizes not only a standard velocipede, but astandard toy wagon, known as an express wagon, as the primary elements,together with a conversion attachment whereby the express wagon may beconverted into a trailer for the velocipede. This trailer has greatmobility,

is readily attached and detached without permanent change in theexisting structures, and is relatively inexpensive-inasmuch as both theexpress wagon and velocipede can be used separately without regard tothe trailer function of the former, which is only employed when thewagon is to be used as such. Furthermore, with the present arrangement,the express wagon is provided with means forrapid locomotion and servesas a desirable conveyance for all kinds of articles which cannot becarried on a velocipede.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention just described, aconversion attachment consisting of a horizontal strut and a diagonalstrut may be either temporarily orperunanently attached to standardforms of velocipedes, the horizontal strut engaging the rear fork of thevelocipede and the diagonal strut bracing the horizontal strut byengaging the rear axle of the velocipede. This attachment extends aconsiderable distance behind the velocipede and is preferably fittedwith a bearing through which the king bolt of the express wagon passesafter the front wheels of the wagon have been removed, the distancebetween the attached express wagon body and the velocipede frameassuring a wide turning angle for the trailer, so that the whole vehicleincluding the trailer may turn in a very small area.

It will be seen that, having a standard expresswagon and a standardvelocipede, it is only necessary to provide the sim 1e conversionattachment described, in or er to convert the express wagon into aneifective trailer for the velocipede, but this conversion does not inany way destroy the individuality of either the express wagon or thevelocipede, as the attachment can be detached as readily as its wasattached from the veloc- 1pede and the front wheels remounted on theexpress wagon. Thus, by means of two standard toys and an attachment athird toy may be readily provided at small expense and inconvenience.

For a better understanding of the inven- .velocipede showing how theconversion attachment is applied;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a modified form of the attchment; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom view thereof.

In thesedrawings, numeral 10 designates the frame of a standardvelocipede, the rear end of this frame extending downwardl and beingprovided with an aperture through which the rear axle 11 passes. A rearfork 12 is secured to the frame 10 of the velocipede and its downwardlyturned ends are rovided with apertures through which t e rear axle alsopasses, the rear wheels 13 being journalled on the axle 11 outside ofthe ends of the rear fork 12. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the rear forkextends laterally from the frame 10 and then is bent downwardly atapproximately right angles to receive the ends of the axle, whereby a suare shoulderlike arrangement of the rear ork is formed.

lhe express wagon is of the standard type consisting of a box-like body14 having the rear axle 15 mounted in a bracket 16 and mounting the tworear wheels 17, while the front of the body 14 is rovided with the kingbolt 18 by which t e front steerable wheels, not shown, are attached tothe body 14 in the usual way.

The conversion attachment of this invention is shown in detail in Fig. 3and preferably consists of a piece of strap iron 19 shaped so as toprovide a horizontal tension strut 20, and a diagonal compression strut21, which is preferably troughed to provide additional strength andrigidity. The connection between the diagonal strut or brace 21 and thehorizontal strut 2O constitutes a journal box 22 provided at its upperend, that is, the upper surface of horizontal strut 20, with a bearingdisc 23 having a central aperture 24 passing through it and thehorizontal strut and registering with the corresponding aperture 25 inthe lower part of journal box 22 or horizontal portion of diagonal strut21, this portion lying parallel to horizontal strut 20. The bearing disc23 is preferably secured to the upper surface of horizontal strut20 bywelding or the like.

Secured to the free end of horizontal strut 20 by means of rivets 26,welding or the like, is a fork 27 preferably shaped of sheet metal, andhaving at its ends the two hooks 28 adapted to closely fit the rear fork12 of the velocipede as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and a. I'hese two hooks areadapted to span the joint between the frame 10 and the fork 12 as shownparticularly in Fig. 4;.

Secured to the end of diagonal strut 21 by means of rivets 29, spotwelding or the like, is a lower fork 30, whose ends are shaped with thehooks 31 adapted to closely fit over the rear axle 11 of the velocipedeas shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 4. These hooks 31 are spaced apart,and are adapted to span the lower end of frame 10 where it joins therear axle 11 as shown in Fig. 4:. The hooks 28 and 31 are eachpreferably enveloped by rubber cushions 32 and 33, respectively, whichmay consist of short lengths of rubber tubing drawn over thecorresponding hooks 28 and 31 ThQ'hooks 28 and 31 of the conversionattachment 19 are open hooks, that is to say, they may be readily hookedand unhooked from the corre onding rear fork and rear axle of thevelocipede and constitute a secure but more or less temporaryattachment. In

Figs. 5 and 6,..the same attachment isshown in elevation and bottomviews, but the hooks are provided with means for more rigidly securingthe attachment to the veloci ede frame. In this arrangement the ends of0th the velocipede. Then the bolts 34: and 35 are replaced and tighteneddown, whereby the attgchment 19 is rigidly secured to the veloci- P Inassembling the device of this invention, the attachment shown in Fi 3 ishooked over the velocipede rear for 12 and rear axle 11 in the mannerdescribed, the front wheels are removed from the express Wagon, the bodythereof placed upon the bearing plate 23 so that its king bolt openingregisters with the apertures 24 and 25 of the journal box 22 and theking bolt 18 is inserted through these apertures and its nut tighteneddown. The bearing plate 23 may be greased so that the trailer may turnreadily relatively thereto as indicated in Fig. 2, this turning anglebeing wide by virtue of the fact that the trailer extends sufficientlybehind the velocipede so that there is no interference between the body14 and the velocipede as they turn relatively to each other in roundingcurves or the like.

It will be seen that the trailer attachment of this invention provides amore simple and effective means for converting a standard velocipede anda standard express wagon into a third toy consisting of a velocipede andtrailer combination, this third toy being readily procured by simplyemployin the attachment 19 shown in Fig. 3 as escribed.

' This toy is adapted to convey articles by the power provided by thevelocipede, and can readily turn, move forwardly and backwardly, andgive generally satisfactory performance. The conversion attachment willnot tip laterally no matter how wide the turning angle between thetrailer and the velocipede may be, this stability being secured by theWide spacing between upper books 28, which, together with the closespacing of lower hooks 31, proc'ures a three-point support for theattachment 19. At any time, the trailer may be removed by detaching kingbolt 18 and again converting it into an express wagon by remounting thefront steering wheels and removing conversion attachment 19 from thevelocipede to restore it to its original condition ile a preferredembodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described' herein,it is to be understood that this invention is not to be limited thereby,but is susceptible of various changes in form and detail within itsscope.

I claim:

1., In a trailer attachment for a velocipede,

the combination of a member mounted upon the rear of the velocipede andextending rearwardly of the rear wheels thereof, a trailer having atleast two wheels, and apivot connecting the trailer to the rear end ofsaid member. I

2. In a trailer attachment for a velocipede, the combination of a membermounted upon the rear of the velocipede and extending rearwardly of therear wheels thereof, a strut for bracing said member on the velocipede,a bearing upon said member, and a trailer pivoted upon said bearing,whereby said trailer may turn relatively to the velocipede.

3. In a trailer attachment for a velocipede, the combination of a membermounted upon the rear fork of the velocipede, a brace on said memberengaging the rear axle of the velocipede, and a trailer connected tosaid member and at least partially supported thereby.

4. In a trailer attachment for a velocipede, the combination of a membermounted upon the rear of the velocipede, a brace on said member engagingthe rear axle of the velocipede, a trailer having a bod and a king boltdirectly securing said trai er body to said member, whereby the trailermay turn relatively to the velocipede.

5. In a trailer attachment for a velocipede, the combination of a membermounted upon the rear fork of the velocipede, a brace on said memberengaging the rear axle of the velocipede, a bearing upon said member, a.trailer, and a kin bolt securin said trailer to said bearin whereby thetrailer may turn relatively to t e velocipede.

6. In a trailer attachment for a velocipede, the combination of a membermounted upon the rear fork of the velocipede, a brace on said memberengaging the rear axle of the velocipede, a trailer, and a king boltpassing' 10. In a trailer attachment for a velocipede, the combinationof a member secured to the rear fork of the velocipede and extendingrearwardly, said member extending substanti ally horizontally, a bearingplate on the free end of said .member, a trailer havin at least two rearwheels and resting at its ront end upon said bearing, and kmg boltpassin through said bearing and a portion of sai trailer, whereb thelatter is turnable relatively to the ve ocipede.

11. In a trailer attachment for a velocipede. the combination of arearwardly ex tendmg bracket having spaced clam s engaging the rear forkof the veloci e e and a brace engagin the rear axle o the velocipede, atrai er aving a body and at least two wheels and means connecting thefront end of said body to the rear end of said bracket.

12. In a trailer attachment for a velocipede the combination of arearwardly extendmg member having hooks at one end for engaging the rearfork of the velocipede, a box ormed at the rear end of said member, abrace extending downwardly from said box to the rear axle of the velociede, a bearing plate on said box, a trailer aving at least two wheelsand a body resting upon said bearing plate, and a kin bolt securing saidbody to said box, where y the trailer may turn about saidbearingrelatively to the velocipede. g

13. A device for mounting a trailer upon a velocipede, comprising ahorizontal'memher having a hook adapted to engage the rear 11 fork of avelocipede, a brace thereon having a hook adapted to engage the rearaxle of the velocipede, and a bearing on said member adapted topivotally mount the trailer.

14. A device for mounting a trailer upon a velocipede, comprising anripper member adapted to be secured to the rame of a velocipede andextend rearwardly therefrom, a lower member extending from the uppermember means for securing the lowerl'nembar to the axle of thevelocipede and means on at least one of the members for receiving thetrailer.

In testimony whereof I aflix m si ROBERT J.

ature. ER. m

rearwardly, a brace thereon connected to the 55 rear. axle of thevelocipede, a trailer having a least two rear wheels, and meansconnecting the front end of said trailer to said'member.

. 9. In a trailer attachment for a velocipede,

the combination of a member secured to the i 60 rear fork of thevelocipede and extending rearwardly, said member being arranged subaxleof the velocipede, and a trailer piv l6 oted to the rear en of saidmember.

